Charlie T. Deane, police chief of Prince William County, is retiring

Prince William County Police Chief Charlie T. Deane, the longest-serving chief in the Washington region and one of the most respected law enforcement officials in the country, will retire Sept. 1, Deane told The Washington Post. He will leave after 42 years with the department, 24 of them as its top officer. Here is a look back at his service.

Just shy of his 67th birthday, Prince William County Police Chief Charlie T. Deane told The Washington Post that he will retire Sept. 1. The longest-serving chief in the Washington region and one of the most respected law enforcement officials in the country, he said he plans to continue working in law enforcement after a brief break.Katherine Frey/The Washington Post

Just shy of his 67th birthday, Charlie T. Deane announced Wednesday that he is retiring as chief, 42 years after he helped open the department in what was then a sleepy Virginia outpost of dairy farms.